Window coverings, also referred to as window treatments, are typically employed in homes and buildings to regulate the amount of light passing through a window and to provide a degree of privacy. Such window coverings may be in the form of curtains, drapes, blinds or shades. Window covering used on rectangularly-shaped windows are typically retractable to some degree to selectively expose or cover the window. The window covering may be mounted above the window and moved up and down by way of a cord or spring-loaded roller.
Semi-circular or arch-shaped windows present unique challenges for retractable window coverings. Various designs to cover arch-shaped windows with retractable coverings have been attempted. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,650,922, 5,662,153, and 5,050,661 disclose window shades that can be opened and closed. However, in each of these devices, the shade includes panels arranged in a fan-like configuration so that the panels are moved to one or both sides to open the shade. This creates a window covering with a series of radially extending lines which may not be desirable. In addition, the shade may include a number of segmented slats or panels that are intricately formed and joined together adding to the difficulty and expense of manufacturing. The segmented slats form an interrupted and unsmooth surface.
A further attempt to cover an arch-shaped window with a retractable shade is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,071. In this patent a multi-segmented header is attached to a shade. As the header is pulled up with a cord, the header segments move to form an arch-shape member. This design requires a number of elements which would be complex and costly to manufacture.
The solutions of the prior art are not suitable for flat roman-type shades which have substantially flat appearance when closed. A roman shade is a tailored, fabric window shade that hangs as a flat panel and is raised by cords to fold accordion-style. The prior art fails to provide a suitable solution for an arched window that both retracts and matches the aesthetic of flat roman shades.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a window covering for arched windows which is aesthetically pleasing and can be retracted to selectively cover and uncover the window.